Members of the Housing & Health Committee will next week be asked to approve the first ever joint Neighbourhood Services and Homelessness Strategy.
While the two areas of housing services have always worked closely together, previous strategies have separated out their functions and objectives. However, in recognition of the significant overlaps between the two areas of service the new joint strategy has been developed to best meet the needs of individuals and communities.
The joint strategy allows a more integrated approach to early intervention and prevention across all areas of the housing service, and aligns the strategic themes for the services to the Scottish Social Housing Charter outcomes to enable transparent reporting on performance and progress.
Councillor Dave Doogan, Convener of Housing & Health Committee said: “This represents a strategic approach to neighbourhood management which considers the needs of all local residents, and focuses on supporting people to sustain their tenancies. The priority is to engage at an early stage to prevent homelessness and this requires all parts of housing services to work together.
“Integrating the joint vision and objectives of Neighbourhood Services and Homelessness in a single strategy sets a clear framework for how staff, other stakeholders, and importantly tenants and other customers will work together towards maintaining our neighbourhoods as safe, secure and healthy environments.”
The strategy also highlights some of the key achievements made in Neighbourhood Services and Homelessness in recent years, including a significant review and enhancement of the delivery of housing options with a strong focus on early intervention, with the result of reducing homeless presentations by 27% over the last 4 years.
There has also been significant investment to increase the supply of affordable housing through a combination of building 118 new Council houses in the last 6 years and buying back 28 former Council houses in the past 2 years.
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